Tuesday, March 29, 2016

12:13 PM

MILWAUKEE -- Hillary Clinton told about 200 people packed into a Baptist Church in the city's Metcalfe Park neighborhood that ‎"It's important to rebuild bonds of trust" between police and citizens.

"We've got to do a better job, both in working with our police and yes, retraining, and frankly, weeding out the bad apples," Clinton told the mostly African-American audience as she sat flanked by mothers who lost children to violence.

At the same time, Clinton stressed that, "Police need our support" and said most officers are trying to do the right thing, but are faced with difficult situations.

Clinton said if elected, she will look for ways to divert people from a life of crime and also promote more second-chance programs for people getting out of jail.

Clinton got in a dig at Bernie Sanders without naming him by saying her opponent voted for the "Charleston loophole" that allows someone to obtain a gun after three days, even if the background check is not completed.

Annette Nance-Holt, mother of 16-year-old Blair Holt‎, an honor student who died when gunfire erupted on a bus in Chicago, thanked Clinton "for reaching out to us” and added that “that other candidate has not reached out to us.”

"I'm not going to give (my vote) to you just because you say you'll do free college. If my child is dead, he ain't going to college,"‎ Nance-Holt said to applause.

Joining Clinton at the front of the church were: U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee; Pastor Don Darius Butler; Nance-Holt; and Geneva Reed-Veal, mother of Sandra Bland, who died in a Texas jail after being arrested following a traffic stop.

Butler noted that the church is in the heart of what has been called Milwaukee’s most dangerous neighborhood. He noted that recent homicides have occurred along the street and in an alley near the church.

"It is something that is all too real for many of us and we are happy that the matter has now risen to a level of national prominence in this campaign season," Butler said.

Clinton said the church is in "a ZIP code that has seen too many lost lives. She drew cheers and shouts of "That’s right" and "Amen" when she said, "Every child deserves to have a healthy, happy life, regardless of the ZIP code where he or she is."